Kikkoman Soyfoods Soy Milk Family

Based on the insight that younger audiences have high breakfast-skipping rates and insufficient protein intake, it was essential to clearly communicate the message of “morning protein fulfillment.” While awareness through TV commercials was expected, reaching younger audiences digitally remained a concern, making it a key requirement to develop a non-celebrity–led concept that would naturally reach users on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube Shorts, while clearly delivering practical, everyday value.

Soymilk Stories That Blend Into Everyday Life

To embed soymilk naturally within the TikTok environments younger audiences engage with daily—and to communicate its appeal without feeling like advertising—we proposed a promotion built around vertical short-form dramas. In collaboration with Koneko Film, the narrative experience reinforces the association of “morning = protein deficiency = soymilk.” The short dramas generate organic buzz and emotional resonance, followed by linked vertical web commercials that deepen functional understanding, creating a two-step structure that guides audiences from interest to action.

This project leveraged vertical short-form dramas created in collaboration with Koneko Film to naturally reach younger audiences who tend to avoid advertising. By applying film-quality direction to eliminate an overt ad feel, soymilk appears organically within the narrative, allowing the association of “morning = protein deficiency = soymilk” to form naturally through the story.

By combining short-form dramas with paid media distribution, the campaign delivered results that significantly exceeded expectations. Organic views alone surpassed 5.7 million, while paid distribution achieved 50.9 million views and 20.7 million in reach—representing approximately 300% of the projected reach and 441% of projected views. On TikTok, the ads generated over 34,000 likes despite being paid content, demonstrating the effectiveness of the “non-advertising” creative approach.

A YouTube Brand Lift study showed a +1.90% increase in favorability, a notable gain for a category-leading brand, confirming that ad exposure contributed to improved brand perception. On X, organic mentions increased by an average of 120% following the campaign, further amplifying social buzz. Overall, the initiative successfully embedded the association of “morning = soymilk” among younger audiences, achieving both attitude change and widespread conversation.